Dan Ziegler

Dan Ziegler rejoined Williams & Jensen as a Principal in 2025, returning to the firm with nearly twenty years of experience shaping public policy both on and off Capitol Hill. Over the course of his career, Dan has earned a reputation for steady judgment, strategic clarity, and an ability to navigate high‑stakes negotiations, which has made him a trusted advisor to Congressional Republicans during some of the most consequential legislative moments of the past decade.

Dan most recently served as Policy Director to Speaker Mike Johnson during the 118th Congress and the start of the 119th. In that role, he represented the Speaker as his lead staff negotiator at the leadership table for a dozen bills that ultimately reached the President’s desk. Among these were the FY24 and FY25 National Defense Authorization Acts, completion of FY24 government funding, the national security supplemental for Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan, and an extension of FISA that locked into law the most significant reforms to the program since its creation.

For more than a year, Dan was also a key architect of the Speaker’s behind‑the‑scenes efforts to prepare House and Senate Republicans to use budget reconciliation to achieve legislative victories following the 2024 election. This groundwork helped pave the way for what became the most significant legislative package ever passed by a Republican Congress. A noted China hawk, Dan additionally led internal efforts to advance legislation countering the Chinese Communist Party, including outbound investment restrictions and the BIOSECURE Act.

Before joining the Speaker’s office, Dan served as Executive Director of the Republican Study Committee, the largest caucus of members in Congress. There he worked closely with his three Chairmen, Reps Mark Walker (115th Congress), Mike Johnson (116th), and Jim Banks (117th) to shape Republican policy priorities. His earlier experience includes serving as Managing Director for Government Relations at Heritage Action for America, where he worked to advance Heritage’s policy objectives on Capitol Hill, a stint as a Legislative Director for Rep Doug Lamborn, as well as service in the Department of the Interior during the George W. Bush Administration.

At Williams & Jensen, Dan helps clients navigate the legislative process, leadership dynamics, and complex policy challenges. Clients value his practical approach, strategic perspective, and firsthand understanding of how major decisions are made on Capitol Hill.

Dan lives in Alexandria, Virginia with his wife, Rae‑Lynn, and their daughter, Adaline, and is a member of Del Ray Baptist Church.